Doctor to prescribe Ritalin

My 6 year old daughter has been diagnosed by a psychiatrist as having ADHD. We have to visit once a month and each visit is $1500 plus the medication (Ritalin) costs.


Does anyone know of a doctor in Hong Kong who can prescribe Ritalin for my daughter so that I don't need to pay so much for a psychiatrist.


The psychiatrist does nothing except ask how things are and then gives me the tablets. The visit lasts for around 15 minutes. I just don't feel that it is of any use to my daughter and would much rather spend that money on some useful classes or lessons she would enjoy doing, but I have to get the Ritalin from somewhere.


Thanks in advance for any suggestions you can give me.

I suggest you get a second opinion before you start giving your daughter Ritalin. Many psychiatrists in HKG are only interested in lining their pockets and the easy thing to do is to diagnose ADHD.

Hi first and foremost to be able to confirm that your daughter had ADHD it would take at least 6 months of observation from the doctor, the doctor will record her daily activities from what kind of food she ate, school routine, extra curricular activity, what time she goes to bed and so on. It's best also that you do a lot of research in the Internet about ADHD, that way you have some form of understanding from different doctors and professional who dealt with this kind of challenges. You also need to know the side effect of Ritalin and what it will do your child growth. If your doctor is 100% correct about your daughter, there's a lot of therapy that are available here. She can do art therapy or best in sports. I believe you need to invest a lot of time knowing about ADHD and how to deal with it without taking medications. I'm not a doctor but I have a friend who has the same challenges. Hope this helps in some way, good luck and God bless your family.

I agree that it takes months of observation to make an ADHD diagnosis.



Psychiatrists are notorious for doling out drugs, they believe in the pharma approach. Have you seen a child psychologist? If not, i think you should get his/her opinion as well. As others have suggested ADHD can be addressed holistically, from making dietary changes, to engaging in physical activities, to proper socialization routines etc.


A friend's son was diagnosed with ADHD. My friend refused to medicate him and now that he is 12, still struggles at school but excels at sports. He plays football twice a week and has shown an incredible talent, swims every day and loves kickboxing. He is pretty well-behaved around adults, though of course overactive, has made many friends and is fitter and stronger than any of his classmates! My friend accepts that he will never be academically successful, but is confident that his son will find his way in life. Being good at sports is his strength and his parents offer as much support as they can to ensure that he is healthy and happy instead of focusing on what he cannot do well, i.e. study.


Ritalin is a very powerful and addictive drug. I used it as a university student many years ago, to stay awake and cram before exams. It took me a while to shake off this addiction, the side effects were very unpleasant and i dread to imagine the long term effects it may have on the physical and mental growth of a six year old.


Being academically successful should never come at the expense of a child's health. If she is happy doing something else, then let her be. Many successful people did very poorly in school, but were encouraged to pursue their interests, be it football, ballet, music, art, cooking etc.


Ask yourself what your child is good at rather than focusing on what she cannot do without Ritalin. Do you really want her to rely on drugs for the rest of her life?

Good luck!!!

I am very skeptical of doctors who immediately prescribe mood altering drugs... I have seen numbers that up to 20% of all Americans are on something or other... no doubt the fact that drug companies give doctors kick backs has a lot to do with this...


I would suggest you visit a nutritionist for a second opinion...


Diet has a MASSIVE influence on behaviour... too much sugar, caffeinated drinks, fast food or processed foods can result in hyperactivity... increasing exercise can also help.

I agree with the other post, regarding a second opinion etc etc but to answer your question, you can ask the doctor to give you the medical prescription which you can fill up in the dispensary.

If they don't have it at the moment they can get it for you and you collect later.

The Ritalin Explosion: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/medicating/experts/explosion.html

I'm appalled (but not surprised) that Ritalin is prescribed so easily to your 6-year old daughter. I would suggest doing your research and trying out other methods first. There are plenty of non-medical methods online.


Is it possible that the symptoms could be something other than ADHD? I recall reading that the medical world is now redefining what ADHD is.


Anyways, here are some resources to get you started:

http://www.additudemag.com/index.html

http://untappedbrilliance.com/blog

http://www.adderworld.com/blog1/

http://www.addforums.com/forums/index.php

Hi margaretb


I feel really quite sad and annoyed that many people have responded to your question with their own opinions of what ADHD is and the general assumption that you haven't explored all possibilities for your daughter.

My son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 5, and thank goodness he was, as it was clear at home and at school that some professional intervention was needed. Until you live with someone 24/7, whether it be a child or an adult with ADHD, you DO NOT KNOW what it is like. It does not take months of observation to diagnose ADHD. Parents have known their child's behaviour since they were born and the standardised testing that takes place at school and in the Psychologist's clinic are clear and effective in highlighting problems.

Ritalin is one of the most researched medications around. It is not addictive and can be administered in very small doses, which in turn means the person's behaviour can be closely monitored.

There is a way to see Government Doctors and get medication through that channel. Alternatively, if you have a full diagnosis report in hand, some GPs will also dispense it to you. However, I have to say that although it is very expensive to see a private Psychiatrist, it is a very important 15-30 minutes. Your child after all is on a medicine that can change behaviour, moods, appetite, blood pressure-a multitude of things. Hopefully the changes will be positive, but your child must be watched closely by you and her teachers and you must discuss the changes with the Psychiatrist or Doctor. At the beginning it is important that you have regular meetings, but you'll find over the years that you won't need so many. But, any medication will have to be adjusted from time to time so it's vital you keep a good eye on your daughter and get regular reports back from her teachers.


If you haven't already, check out F.O.C.U.S. Focus on Children's Understanding in Schools. They meet monthly and are an invaluable source of information and support for parents with kids that have ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia


People with ADHD are often extremely talented and have very fast (too fast) brains, so try to think of it as a positive thing. It's just they need extra support, guidance and sometimes medication to see them on the right path to success.


Good luck!

Kat R:


Thank you for the intelligent and quite informative response. It is nice to see someone who understands what others have gone through without passing judgement on treatment or the parents.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply to my post. In particular Kat R for understanding. My daughter not only has ADHD, but also Autism Spectrum Disorder. I have spent hours reasearching these conditions and the use of Ritalin and I am doing a university course so as to find out the best ways to help her learn. I now take my daughter to a doctor suggested by Angelique Bouchard, and am very happy with the results. The cost is less and the doctor is monitoring my daughter, even having her take an ECG to check her heart. I am confident that she is getting the best help that I can provide her at this time. It is nice to have so much care directed our way from so many other posters. Thanks again.

You can get Ritalin from a pediatrician, rather than a phychiastist. It has to be prescirbed and monitored by a doctor, as you know, but a pedriatrician can do that and is normally much less expensive than a psychiatrist. We have ADHD at home, too (it's normally in the family), and is quite common in Hong Kong. As the e-mail string indicates, you'll find little sympathy (or even empathy) from those in the community that do not have it at home, but the good news is that the Ritalin helps generally and also helps the kids develop the coping skills they need to manage it. In time, it becomes easier. Hang in there.

CHS

I have it all sorted. PM me for details!

I am a 51 year old male and was diagnosed with ADHD 3 years ago

I was prescribed Ritalin and it has improved my life greatly.

I have just been to the hospital here in Hong Kong and they wont give me an appointment until July.

Can someone please let me have details of a doctor who will be able to look at my paperwork from the UK and give me a prescription as well as knowledge of a pharmacy that actually supplies it.

Thank you